Sex, Spirit, Strength

Indigenous peoples face some of the highest rates of sexual and physical violence, substance abuse, HIV and suicide in all of Canada. But statistics never tell the whole story.
Sex Spirit Strength follows Michael Keshane and Jack Saddleback, two young Indigenous men, as they shed the stigma and shame associated with their sexual health and gender identity. Michael, a former addict who lived a high-risk lifestyle that left him with permanent scars, hopes his activism work will discourage other young people from going down the same path. Jack, a Cree transgender gay man, is committed to bringing pride back to two-spirit identity through education and activism.

With a compassionate lens, Sex Spirit Strength takes a candid look at the challenges and triumphs of these two brave young men as they reconcile their past, embrace their identities, and strive to make a positive difference in their communities.

Director: Courtney Montour is Mohawk from Kahnawake. She works in the documentary film and digital media fields exploring issues of Indigenous identity. Her first feature documentary Sex Spirit Strength (2015) premiered on APTN and won the Best of Festival, and Emerging Filmmaker awards at the 2016 Yorkton Film Festival. She has directed episodes for several documentary series including Mohawk Ironworkers (2016), Working It Out Together (2016), and Dream Big (2015). She currently coordinates McGill University’s Indigenous Field Studies course, held in Kahnawake.